Combination ash receiver and extinguisher



Dec. 10,1940. L R AKERS ETAL 2,224,715 f COMBINATION ASH RECEIVER AND lEXTINGUISHER Filed Apri1 26, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l /NVENToRs Lee Alge/ZS, cmq

fa/wes C. MMV/zsm. B 2, y r, y, a

DCC. 10', 1940. R, AKERS ETAL 2,224,715

COMBINATION ASH RECEIVER AND EXTINGUISHER Filed April 26, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 q |I Y, 7 '6' 5 46 30 L? 3.5 y/ l` .37 Il" '347 J 7 43 2.5 A [zag l l I! 42 *51 '9'2 "f" 5f im! im! l: l; l'

il@ '4 I I /4 l l Mi )mi f5 '1; 5 g

` u 'HIM/3 /NVENTo/es flllm I l. BYJa/nes C. w//k/'nsa/l.

`/' ATTORNEY /4 z Lee R. Eher-mw Patented Dee. 10, 1940 UNITEDl STATES Lee R. Akers and James C. Wilkinson,

Kansas City, Mo.

ApplicationApril 26, 1939, Serial No. ,270,14/f

8 Claims.

This invention relates to` a' combination ash receiver and extinguisher for cigars' and cigarettes, the principal object of' the'inventionV being to provide a device of this character which positively snus out the re in a discarded cigaror cigarette and thereby avoids the obnoxiousodors of smoldering tobacco'.

We are aware that various mechanisms' have been devised for crushing the lighted end of a cigar or cigarette as it is being' placed in areceiver. The crushing action, however, spreads the hot ashes and they drop'into the receiver and set lre to the contents. Another defect of'such devices is that the snuing pressure may not be applied for a suiicient time to extinguish the lire and even with devices which retainingly engage the discarded butt the immediate insertion of a subsequent cigar or cigarette releases the engagement before the re is completely extin- 2g guished with the result thatV the lire continues after the discarded butt has dropped into the receiver. i

It is, therefore, a further object ofthe invention to provide a combination ash receiver and g5' extinguisher which includes a magazine type of gripping mechanism that successively advances the engaged cigarettes toward a releasing position thereby allowing suflicient time for the fire to become extinguished.

3g Further objects of the invention are to provide a device of this character which is of simple and inexpensive construction, and to-provide a gripping mechanism which extinguishes the re without sufcient crushing to cause ashes to drop into the container.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, as hereinafter pointed out, we have provided improved details of structure, the preyferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a combination ash receiver and fire extinguisher constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar perspective View showing the housing removed to better illustrate Ithe gripping or snuiing magazine.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the device on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section through the device on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a similar section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective View of one of the flexible disks forming a part of the gripping as magazine. k

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective View of' one of the side' plates supporting the gripping magazine.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

I` designates a combination ash receiver and extinguisher constructed in accordance with the 5 present invention, and which includes a base 2 having ashouldered perimetri'cal edge 3 to'tele-v scopingly'receive the side walls 410i a hood-like housing 5. The top' 6 ofthe housingis provided with a depression 1 forming a tray in which ci'g'- 10' y arettes or cigars are placed in the manner" of a conventional tray.

Also formedin the topY 6' is a slotted opening 8' through which burning cigar or cigarette butts are placed in the re extinguishingmechanism 15 later described. The opening 8 is*r preferably partly covered by a hood-like guard 9'forn1inga passageway I0 for the projecting ends of' the cigarette butts as they are advanced in theV ex''Y tinguishing mechanism. The housingthus co- 20 operates with thev4 base to form a closedrecep tacle for discarded cigarsrand cigarettesand' to enclose the'extinguishing mechanismnow to be described.

The extinguishing mechanism is" best -f illus- '25 trated in Fig. 2l andY includes a frame |I"'com prising spaced side plates l2y and I3. The plates l2 and I3-are of the same constructioninthat each includes a leg portion I4' having a-lateral-ly extending foot flange l5- secured to theside edges 30 of the base by fastening devices I6; The body portion I1 of the plate is-oset inwardly, as at I8, to support the gripping or carrier magazine |19.' When the plates are in position onthe base the body portions l1 thereof are spaced apart 35 an ample distance to allow the passage of! acigar butt therebetween asbest shown in Fig.. 3.-

Located in the body portionsoi the si`de1pl'ates, at points directly below the uncovered portion of the opening 8,- are bearing openingsJZ journalling a rotatable shaft 2l of the magazine |92 The shaft 2l has an enlarged portion 22-forming shoulders 23 and 2'4. Mounted'ontheshaftand engaging the shoulders 23 and 24 arei flexible circular disks 25 and 26 that are normallyspaced s apart slightly lessV than the diameter' of a cigarette. The disks are clamped against the. shoulders by nuts 28 and 29 threaded on theshaft'so that they rotate as a single unit whenv the shaft is' actuated, as later described. As: just stated; 50 the disks are exible and are formed of springlike, incombustible material whereby .they exert a clampinginluence on-a cigarette Aplaced there# between and are adapted to` be spread?apart` at selective. points in their' rotationt'o respectively 4^ receive and release a cigarette or cigar butt as later described.

In order to control iiexure of the disks, the body portions |1 of the side plates are provided with upwardly extending arms 30 terminating at the upper edges of the disks in downwardly turned fingers 3| which extend over the rims of the disks and engage the inner faces thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Since the side plates have greater spacing than the spacing of the disks on the shaft, the upper portion of the disks registering with the opening 8 are spread apart sufliciently to permit the cigar or cigarette butt to drop readily therebetween.

Also formed as a part of the side plates at points spaced below a plane extending through the horizontal axis of the shaft are inturned ngers 32 which also engage the inner faces of the disks to spread them apart and thereby form a place of release for the engaged cigarette butts.

Carried by one of the side plates, just below the `fingers 32, is an inclined ejector tongue 33 extending between the disks to engage the cigarettes as the magazine is rotated and eiect positive discharge thereof from the magazine. The tongue 33 is spaced a sufficient distance from the opening 8` to allow the cigarettes or cigar butts to be retained in the magazine until the fire has become'extinguished even though burning butts are placed in the magazine in rapid succession.

The magazine shaft 2| projects a sufficient distance through one of the side plates to carry a ratchet wheel 34 having laterally directed teeth 35 provided with shoulders 33 that form abutments to Vbe engaged by a pawl 31. The ratchet wheel is of disk-like character and is mounted upon a reduced extension 38 of the shaft. The reduced extension thus forms a stop shoulder against which the ratchet is rigidly clamped by a nut 39. threaded on the shaftextension. The pawly 31 is preferably mounted on the shaft extension and has an offset arm portion 40 extending toward the body portion of the ratchet wheel to engagev the ratchet teeth. The arm is retained in yielding engagement with the ratchet wheel by means of a coil spring 4| sleeved over the'shaft and bearing against the outer face of thelpawl.vr The opposite end of the spring engages against a nut 42 that is threaded on the shaft extension to load the spring suiciently so lthat the arm portion of the pawl is at all times retained in contact with the ratchet wheel. k Formed on the outer end of the arm 40 is a head 43 having pin and slot connection 44 and 45 with a reciprocating lever 43. The lever 46 is reciprocably mounted in a slot 41 that is formed in the top 6 alongside the guard 9. The upper projecting end of the lever is shaped to formV a thumb plate against which pressure is applied to effect reciprocation of the actuating lever. The opposite end of the: lever has a reduced extension 52 slidably mounted in a tubular guide 53 that is supported on the base 2 directly below .the slot E. In order to retain the actuating lever in its uppermost position the shaft 2| carries a coil spring 54 having one end terminating in an arm 55 anchored to the adjacent side plate by a tongue 56. The opposite end of the coil spring terminates in a similar arm 51 that ,is anchored to a similar tongue on the head 43 of the pawl. It is thus obvious that the spring exerts pressure to retain the actuating lever in its uppermost position.

to the location of the fingers 3| and 32, that portion of the disks extending between the respective fingers is drawn closely together as indicated at 58 and that this spacing narrows from a maximum width directly adjacent the arms 3| to a minimum width at a point midway between the ears 3| and 32 where the spacing again increases to the maximum adjacent the ears 32 as indicated at 59. Therefore when a lighted cigarette is dropped through the opening 8 it falls freely between the spread portion of the disks but is stopped when thelighted end engages the .disks so that it extends radially therefrom as shown in dotted lines a in Fig. 5. Then when the lever 46 is depressed so that the pawl engaging one of the ratchet teeth advances the disks one space, the cigarette is moved in an anticlockwise direction (Fig. 5) as indicated by the dotted lines b. Since the disks are gradually drawn toward each other, the burnt end of the cigarette is caused to be gripped sufficiently tight to snuff' out the re, however, the gripping action does not crush the cigarette with sufficient vforce to cause dropping of burned particles into the container. The gripped cigarette thus remains in engagement with the disks so that the pressure has sufficient time to snuff out the fire. When another cigarette is dropped through the opening 8 and the lever pressed, that cigarette is carried by the disk into gripping contact and the previous cigarette is advanced further into the container toward the point of release. After a number of cigarettes have been inserted, the first cigarette reaches engagement with the tongue 34. At this point pressure on the disks is relieved and the tongue forcibly releases the cigarette should it tend to adhere to the faces of the disks.

It is obvious that even though the lever be operated a suiiicient number of times to move an inserted cigarette to the point where it is released, it has been retained in gripping engagement by the disks sufficient time to allow complete extinguishment of the fire. The same is true if a number of burning cigarettes have been rapidly placed in successive order in the machine.

From the foregoing it is obvious that we have provided a combination ash receiver and extinguisher which is of simple construction and which is adapted to apply the required snufling pressure until the re has time to become extinguished.

What We claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described a carrier including a pair of axially aligned yieldable members for grippingly retaining the burnt endV of a cigarette therebetween and under pressure, means for ejecting the cigarette, and means for advancing the carrier tobring the cigarette to said ejecting means. f l

2. A device of the character described including a housing having an opening for the insertion of cigarettes, a pair of axially aligned members rotatable in the housing for grippingly engaging burnt ends of the cigarettes therebetween, and means for successively advancing said members to carry the cigarettes to a selected position in the housing.

3. A device of the character described including a housing having an opening through which cigarettes are inserted, a pair of flexible disks, a shaft supporting the disks at the sideslof the opening, means for maintaining a fixed spacing of the disk centers on the shaft to form gripping portions at the peripheries of the disks, means for spreading portions of the disks at selected points to facilitate insertion of and removal of the burnt end of cigarettes between the gripping portions of the disks, and means for effecting intermittent rotation of the disks.

4. A device of the character described including a housing having an opening through which cigarettes are inserted, a pair of flexible disks, a shaft supporting the disks at the sides of the opening, means for maintaining a xed spacing of the disk centers on the shaft to form gripping portions at the peripheries of the disks, means for spreading portions of the disks at selected points to facilitate insertion of and removal of the burnt end of cigarettes between the gripping portions of the disks, means for eiecting intermittent rotation of the disks, and means for ejecting the cigarettes.

5. A device of the character described including a housing having an opening through which cigarettes are inserted, a pair of ilexible disks, means rotatably supporting the disks at the respective sides of the opening, means for causing the disks to grip the burnt ends of the cigarettes during the major portion of each revolution of the disks, and means for effecting intermittent movement of the disks.

6. A device of the character described including a housing having an opening through which cigarettes are inserted, a pair of flexible disks, means rotatably supporting the disks at the respective sides of the opening, means for causing the disks to grip the burnt ends of the cigarettes during the major portion of each revolution of the disks, means for effecting intermittent movement of the disks, and means for successively ejecting the cigarettes from the disks.

'7. A device of the character described including a pair of yieldable disks, means rotatably supporting the disks in spaced relation to grip the burnt end of a cigarette therebetween during the major portion of each revolution of the disks, means for rotating said disks, and means located at a selective point with respect to the rotation of the disks for spreading the peripheries of the disks to release the gripped cigarette.

8. A device of the character described including a pair of yieldable disks, means rotatably supporting the disks in spaced relation to grip the burnt end of a cigarette therebetween during the major portion of each revolution of the disks, means for rotating said disks, and spaced means spreading the disks at selective points for admitting a cigarette to be gripped and for releasing the gripped cigarette.

LEE R. AKERS. JAMES C. WILKINSON. 

